


On Being a Speechwriter

by westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist



Category: The West Wing
Genre: Episode Tag, Episode: s04e06 Game On
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2003-04-26
Updated: 2003-04-26
Packaged: 2019-05-31 03:46:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 459
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15111134
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist/pseuds/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist
Summary: 'I don't know where he gets it from.  The optimism, I mean - the hope.'





	On Being a Speechwriter

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

**On Being a Speechwriter**  
**by:** Kasey

**Character(s):** Sam  
**Category(s):** POST-EP: Game On  
**Rating:** TEEN  
**Disclaimer:** I own not them, I own them not.  
**Summary:** "I don't know where he gets it from. The optimism, I mean - the hope."  


It's about making *them* look good. Not ourselves. 

We don't take credit when they do well, we take full responsibility when they don't, even if it wasn't our fault. 

And moreover, we don't let anyone in on that little secret. We don't tell people we make a distinction between our candidate doing well and not doing well - we say they're always good and that's that. Whether our writing was flat or they stumbled over the texts we crafted or they were magnificent without our help. 

It's a speechwriter thing. It really is. 

Y'know, I...I never thought I'd hear a speech that I didn't dislike when I picked it apart line-by-line - which is, by the way, a habit I cannot control, that being my profession - but honest to God...when I heard that speech ...Amazing. Absolutely amazing. Like hearing Toby's writing for the first time 

I really didn't think I could be surprised by writing anymore. I thought I'd done it so much, heard it so often, crafted it with so many tools that I couldn't be caught off-guard by any of it. 

Nor did I think anyone with so much optimism still existed. Having been chastised by Toby and...Josh...any number of people for being too gung-ho about stupid projects that can't possibly work, for caring about things like putting a *real* Democrat in every district, not just those we think we can win. But Will...despite the fact that he has a really lousy name with too many jokes to be made...the optimism from him... 

He really thinks he can win. He thinks his guy, dead or alive, has a good shot. 

I honestly don't wanna break the news to him that his campaign is as dead as his candidate, but... 

That's why I can say I'll step up. He'll never win. Horton Wilde had, as of the last time I checked, something like a 30% deficit, He's not about to make any giant leaps or gains. 

Though that's a campaign I'd like to be on. One with so much- Will actually believes the issues can be helped through discussion. That if people hear the sides, they'll be convinced; that if he tries hard enough, he could win. 

He believes it's worth the time they spend to get the issues OUT there. 

God, he wouldn't last two seconds with Toby. Brilliant speechwriter or not. 

I don't know where he gets it from. The optimism, I mean - the hope. 

Maybe it comes from being a speechwriter. 


End file.
